Can’t ignore Trudeau’s potential

Cambridge Times

All over Canada you hear about people lining up to listen to and meet with Justin Trudeau. From Vancouver to St. John’s, Trudeau has quickly become this nation’s favourite among all other politicians to become Canada’s next prime minister.

However, it seems most people in this region tend to label Trudeau as an inexperienced celebrity heir riding on the back of his father’s accomplishments. This stereotype couldn’t be further from the truth, as demonstrated by Trudeau having a stronger voice as a sophomore MP in the House of Commons than NDP leader Thomas Mulcair.

If Trudeau is elected as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, 39 per cent of respondents in a poll for the National Post said they would vote for the Liberals, while the Conservatives would take 30 per cent and the NDP would fall to 23 per cent – less than a quarter of the popular vote.

The reasons for choosing Trudeau as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada are much more than strategic when you look at his political profile. Not only is he an intelligent, well-spoken bilingualist, and a passionate advocate for social reform (important attributes considering the recent events in the Quebec provincial election, the student strike, and the Idle No More movement), Trudeau is also the official critic for issues concerning Canadian youth, post secondary education and the environment. This illustrates his expertise regarding some of the most vital topics among Canadian politics.

The Conservative majority government means a social regression and continued state of political turmoil for at least two more years, with no progressive policies on the agenda. Alongside is an NDP opposition more intent on making noise than making sense.

This will give the Liberal Party time to evaluate and reinvent their entire platform, breaking themselves from a government bureaucracy that currently dictates national policy, and with an electoral reform policy firmly within their sights.

Most certainly, one could see and feel the apprehension to support the Liberal Party after the Ignatieff fiasco. In fact, if anything they have driven people further away from the party with Bob Rae’s appointment as interim leader.

The Bob Rae appointment was designed to stabilize the party turmoil with political experience. Unfortunately, old solutions and older styles are not likely to work well now, or in 2015.

We live in an era prepared for a new style of governing based upon the progressive ideology of our society. Trudeau represents the promise of future generations, the voice of this generation and the compassion of generations past. The City of Cambridge cannot afford to ignore his potential as the future leader of the Liberal party and for Canada.